


HUNGER

by Dark_Intentions



Series: HUNGER Vol.1 [1]
Category: vampire - Fandom
Genre: Demons, Ghosts, Humans, M/M, Other, Supernatural - Freeform, Vampires, Witches, doppleganger, fandoms - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:29:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25549744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Intentions/pseuds/Dark_Intentions
Summary: "When he left, he shattered my heart. I am not sure how long it'll take for me to pick up the pieces. 60 years more, so he can die at 90? I can wait... After he is gone, then I'll be free to love again as I once loved him. " He said. But Eric denied. "you are still hurting, and shattered, and in love with another. What kind of man would I be... to take you away from him? Go ahead and let your family embrace you if I can not, and love him til his dying day, and then in 90 years. Ask me again if I love you."
Relationships: Eric - Relationship, Theryka
Series: HUNGER Vol.1 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1851424





	HUNGER

**Author's Note:**

> Just a cute little thing I roleplayed with a friend, the story is actually quite longer than this. But this has to be one of my favorite scenes! Enjoy!

Years ago, if you had told him that you loved him, he would have said "Only me". The problem was that Theryka was unable to love, he could only stand on that stage and love himself. He was vain, arrogant and insatiable. Eric was a vampire in whom needed it, craved it, it was blood to his still beating heart. But every which was he turned and with every denial, the more he felt he was getting colder in a world gone mad. Or was it him? One day, Eric took the Witch's curse with the help of a witch himself, Theryka, to change his appearance because he believed that in order to be loved by him would mean that he would need to change who he is... despite this, Eric would not ever be able to change what was inside. He often wondered if it all was worth every day and or night they have ever spent together.

And would it be worth even more to wait on love to come through the door?

August 1, 1945

The bar was quiet, and for the most part, had been in the process of closing their doors for the night. But there in front of a dim lit stage had stood Theryka, toting his violin case that had been long closed since the argument came to be. Hours already in passing, and people seemed to just walk by as if it was an every night occurrence in a downtown suburban pub. The janitor had already told the woman and the two men that the place was closing in a few minutes, but Eric was stealing Theryka's chance of fleeing for the stairs in a huff. Eric knew this boy a manner of two weeks now, and he was already trying to claim his heart and offer him the world. The hardest pill to swallow was that, as much as what they adored one another, even if the sex was fantastic that one time in the men's bathroom- Theryka's denial for more was peculiar. He did not say yay or nay. He said he wanted Eric, but then as quickly would deny that he ever made claims of saying it. Eric was holding onto the broken, however, he was as torn as the other.

Theryka was still torn between revenge and moving forward.

Theryka looked at Eric and the vampire woman at his side, Rouvenna. His mind was set and made up. "Ivan, he will never lack for nothing. I'll make sure he has plenty. If he is indebted, somehow his debts will come up paid; if he needs to buy a car and cannot afford it, he'll be the draw named for a new car. I'll be his guardian angel of luck for as long as he lives. But while he will have plenty, he'll not have another. Every time he tries, they'll mysteriously vanish or die. When he is 95 and dying, after a life of plenty and lonely, his loving husband that he abandoned, will be there, to walk him into the realms of Anubis. He'll not be crucified. He'll be cared for. Of course, as I told you, shit happens. He could be ran over by a bus while I am on tour. Of course, miracles happen, he could realize the truth of his mistakes and come crawling back at my door. But unless either or happens, this is the plan. And in all honesty? Fuck it what everyone will think. I'll be already dead anyway."

"So this is your plan? To spoil the luck and damn the poor?" He asked Theryka inquisitively, "Ivan, Ivan, Ivan. Who is Ivan, your previous Husband? With what are you trying to prove with him, Theryka? Why not just kill him than have him live beside you in replace of someone you could spend your time wisely with and earnestly care for and have them care for you? What good are you doing for the bastard if you would be already dead, there is *no* lesson for Ivan there, cherub." Eric called Theryka this because the younger man wanted to soar. Fly! Eric wanted badly to give this to him with all he had.

"He would be staked to you for his entire mortal existence and you would be feeding him riches while claiming his cattle." He frowned at Rouvena, "By this point in time, the code has already been broken endlessly. There are humans out there in whom already have had the veil uncovered from their eyes, and now my concern would be what would happen if Theryka *does* become the new Apollo. Then this will bring about the storm I've always feared had already been placed. If you were to be the redeemer, Theryka, you must realize that there are others out there like ourselves that are still in the shadows. You may be the new Apollo, the God of Music and the vampire Therion some day but-you-will-soon-see... the error behind your main decision. It is not music, it is not love, it is a reason of hate." Eric paused with his concern, refusing to ask what mattered to Theryka most. Or who.

"I may be inexperienced and while wise beyond my years, far unwise beyond any of any persons older than me that has lived twice as much, I agree", he said, "And no amount of crime novels and TV shows will teach the perfect crime. But Ivan, yes, this is my ex husband's name, he'll have a life of riches. And I, forever young, forever beautiful, very much un-dead, will be as his bed in the moment he dies, to remind him what he could have had, if he only had not forsaken me on behalf of some bitch." He said. He was stubborn. "I'd not embrace him, nor offer him a blood bond. He is not one I'd spend my eternity with anymore. He was ... when he loved me, was kind to me. when I could have licked the sole of his boots if so much asked that of me. You have no idea how much I loved him. Loved in the past. When he left, he shattered my heart. I am not sure how long it'll take for me to pick up the pieces. 60 years more, so he can die at 90? I can wait. For a person who is eternal and cannot age, 60 years are only 60 hours. After he is gone, then I'll be free to love again as I once loved him. " 

"Love... is never the same", he said, "People are not replaceable. One might even be able to 'forget'.." He used air quotations on the word forget, "...an older lover, but in fact this is mere numbness with a sense of direction, because no one, no human, no animal, no LIFE, is replaceable. You can replace labels... fire a CEO hire another... but the person, no, you cannot. Love, much the same, is different. There is a spot for each person. I love my mother, my father, my siblings, they're NOT in the slightest the same type or amount or intensity of love. Competing or trying to replace Ivan, or my mom, or my brother, is useless. You need to be content with the space in my heart that I offer you. It's a broken heart. The space you occupy in it now, was tailored for you out of shards. It's still frail, and it could break again, it'll take some time to solidify. But it doesn't replace others. I love many things, and I even love some people, each in their own way. But I have my hate too. I never said I was perfect, as much as I try to be."

Rouvena would look down on her glass, playing with the rest of melting ice cubes inside of it. She was paying attention, a lot of attention to what have been told. But to say a word? nope. Not if asked and so she might look distracted but actually was completely thinking about what they have talked about - or still stalking. She could really understand Therykas words about a shattered heart and now to offer those sharp pieces to others. It was always a risk people have to take, when they decide for someone in particular, but if things go right it was worth it to take the risk. Even his words about replacing people. As much people are on earth or many different souls there are. Different ways to think, feel, live. So there is never one as another. While they are having the conversation, she would walk to the bartender to return the empty glass.

Eric was forever the sociopath himself and yes, there is a difference between that of a psychopath and a sociopath very few knew that, so he did understand where Theryka was coming from. But, he also felt it would come to this where he had felt that his promises were as empty as a half glass. "I have so far offered you *everything* nobody else could outside of the one family you still have that cares for you. Within these weeks, these days, I *have* fallen in love with you. You who told me what you wanted, me, who promised more than a lifetime of opportunities for you. I wanted to be the one by your side!" He unraveled in his jealousy, "you tell me you flirt around and gallop like a show-horse with your fame but then tell me I would be the one you leave that stage for after all was said and done. If I am to be your lover, you will know how I feel... as much as what I can say that I would gladly assist in pulling you together and be the one you need in that tiny empty space within your heart... if I have to share you with another man, or with your every waking second screwed on revenge, then it is not my time to be yours." That edge had began to wear off when Rouvena returned, "you are still hurting, and shattered, and in love with another. What kind of man would I be... to take you away from him?" This felt ironic. "Go ahead and let your family embrace you if I can not, and love him til his dying day, and then in 90 years. Ask me again if I love you."

....  
July 27, 2020

Theryka was scared. It hurt. He felt he was there but his body no longer responded. On a limbo, per se. As if he was stuck in there, paralyzed, quiet, lost. He could hear the wind, it was sounding so high, too. The music playing in the background, from his sound system, was so fucking LOUD. he'd beg, his body didn't respond. The lights were dim in the night. Had his Father turned it down? The voice echoing in his mind. 'It's okay, my baby. Don't be afraid. I got you'. He had it. His pain was intense, his skin burn, but that too, was fading. Just the lights were so strong it hurt. The sounds so overwhelming. 

It was then that something happened and he felt like spluttering and choking. But that made him gasp for air. His chest filled, but the air burned now. It felt like asthma. He had to do it slow, slow, slow. His skin started to tingle, the gentlest touch felt like the grasp of a dinosaur. Wrapped in his own blankets, he felt his body being lifted. He felt his body. Was he dead?

This is how it felt? He kept his eyes closed. The man's voice was so loud he winced. It would be best if he fell asleep. He had to warn his friends... hands opened and closed, but that too felt extra heavy, but also extra light. Ways and ways. He could not explain yet. He'd do it eventually. He tried to mentally focus on someone, Eric, Ryder, Gabe, Hrafn, the special ones, and let them know he was okay, but found out he had no strength and the pain on his stomach had started. He felt like puking. He felt sick. The pain. He needed his codeine. He needed the pain to go. 

He didn't know yet, but the pain had a name: HUNGER.

It was much later. Theryka was nowhere to be found for at least 24 hours. it was as if the world had dragged in. 

Had left the Sip right after his second Bloody Mary, he could faintly pick up a distinct form calling out to him with desperation and it had to have brought enough alarm to him to *want* to leave. Taking his phone from the security on his way out, he thumbed through missed notifications. There was no sign of anything. Gabriel told him that he informed Theryka to contact Eric back and that had been hours ago, and nothing. He did decide to ring through and see if he could get anything, instead of texting. 

From outside, he heard the rambunctious noises from next door, some sort of Bubble Fiesta or something. His brows turned downward as his feet took from one side of the sidewalk to another, impatient? Anxious? Of course, because the vampire was worried! He had not ever been more worried in his life. Silently, he did wait to hear if he answered the damn phone but by the second ring, then third, he almost felt he wouldn't. His stone cold knuckles tightened on the device, then he growled lowly. "...Please answer the phone, cherub." Little did he know what's happened.

The foreboding tune from earlier that made it into his mind kept on loop, it was a disembodied voice accompanied by the sound of a violin winding in and out of crescendo. With this, he had no other alternative than to leave thirty minutes out of Clifton, it was getting later by the hour. He stepped around others standing in his way and took down the street. He returned back to the house, and spent every last hour he could manage to keep hold tightly to things. He found that the Doctor told him that his clothes are here, and his phone which could have explained that hours ago. Eric did end up going a little mad, and every second he could leave, he took the chance to seeking Theryka in everything. From the woodwork to green pastures only to have returned back.

"I can't find him." Eric told the Doctor, "I have only to blame myself. What if he's dead?" As far as what he was concerned, Theryka never told him a definite on being embraced or when he ever planned to be. So this was all news to him. He did sit there onto the sofa, feeling deflated. "Then this is my fault. I promised to protect him, and to be by his side at all costs. I loved the boy..."

The doctor sighed, and looked up to the poor Vampire that now roamed the house endlessly. Like a ghost. 

Dorian was worried his own way. Silent, having called everyone very discreetly, but in truth he was just quiet sitting at that couch. "You do realize", he said, "that I can make hands grow from vampires, as well as make bones grow and skin issues heal..." He pointed at the man himself, "But him, I could not heal. A good witch can make their markings permanent. Most don't even know how to do that, or if they know how they simply don't. I don't know what happened to him. But I have a gazillion theories. You say you loved him. Do you even know who he was?"

The vampire lent his ears to him, and believed every word he was saying. It was true even for himself, to have offered things, even eternal life when it then appeared that Theryka did not want it. The musician wanted things on his own terms, that is how demanding he was.  
Eric kept peering into the fire. He watched the flames dance together; pulling into one and then pulling apart. 

Dorian just watched him, with the same worry in his eyes that he could feel inside of himself which made it all the more difficult to look his way. Eric slide his gaze from the fire over to him with a visible sadness. Then, he began to speak. "Yes." solemnly and direct. "And he was and is everything that I could not be. I changed who I am... for /him/. I may not have been able to change what I was, but I would have. Even if it destroyed me."

Dorian smirked. "If I knew that? I wouldn't have done anything on you", he said, clearly surprised, and a bit annoyed. "I thought you would do it for yourself. Because you wanted to look more and better and love yourself as such. We don't do certain things for others. Like, ever." He said, a bit exasperated. "Although I did a fucking good job on you, and I don't regret it one bit." 

"But", the doctor said, "He is much more than meets the eye. He is a fruit of tragedy, he is what hade the L word gain a note of my sheer despise, for one."  
Eric heaved a sigh and proceeded to look away from Dorian, placing his face into his palms. He was walking a mighty thin wire, he realized. Those mind games, it was almost abuse in a sense, but Eric did not care. His voice was a tad muffled when he spoke, with strained calm, grasping at ropes. "I am not vainglorious, Dorian." It was then that he lowered his hands, speaking into the flames. "I do not take pride in who I am or what I am, my heart could have been made of blood and gold but what separates me from the rest of the monsters is not that I can *not* love myself, or that I am unaware that I look this good." 

Eric scoffed and looked back to him, "I'm fully aware that I can have anything and everyone I want. But... I am fighting for him. I want for him to love me. And he is perhaps the only one I want, I could care less about anything or anyone else in my way. I wanted to give Theryka everything. This is why. And in all honesty, I find myself much more *attractive*" he gestured with his shoulders, "than what I did before." With this, he smiled. Giving gratitude for the change, because yes, Dorian did do a wonderful job.  
Dorian sighed. He would pinch the bridge of the nose long and hard. "Do you want me to teach you how he can love you madly? Be with you only?"

Eric withdrew in posture and attended, figuratively, his own funeral. Facing Dorian more directly and attentively. "Yes." He said, willing to learn anything at this point.  
Dorian patpatted the couch y his side. "Then sit and listen. The story you need to know will take you to a very different point of view of who is he... who he truly is. Only knowing him you'll be able to love him. And... prepare your heart. You'll need to forgive a LOT."

Had stood and walked over to take the side Dorian specified he do. Once seated there, he prepared himself for it all. Watching him and dedicated, then with a nod of his head he said, "I am listening."

"He was born Trystan Andrea Claremont in Vienna, Austria. His family has farms... they are cheese makers. Not meat cutters. He was a simple farm boy, a shepherd. As every Austrian, a bit austere. He had a kind smile... loved horses. Won a bunch of horseback riding competitions. " Eric began to paint the more vivid picture inside his head, imagining the words as they were. "He was very smart, too, so he went to study in Vienna instead of being home schooled... where they had better schools. With me so far?" Dorian asked.  
Eric would nod his head in acknowledgment. "Yes. Please, continue."

"He went to prestigious schools. Started to play in an orchestra, as music is mandatory in most schools in Europe. He was really good. Imagine a 12 year old in the Vienna Opera playing with adults. He was that good. But of course, kids. H liked metal, of course. And as soon as he entered the 9th grade he met the man whose name you know by Ivan. His first love. An older boy, starting medic school residency already. He was at advanced level at school, but the age and the fact that he liked men... ...didn't sit well with a bunch of people. Did he care? No. He was blindly in love. And even as a resident, the young surgeon and him founded a band. Austrian band. The band was a music project for school. At first he was going to enter with the orchestra... the school declined... said it wouldn't be fair with the other students", he chuckled, "so, he entered with a metal band. To each step, he introduced a new member of the band. In the end, they won. A band was formed. The vocalist, who was a childhood friend, and the label were from Finland... so the band that was Austrian became one more band from Finland." He chuckled. "We still are, in a way. I wasn't in this band tho... so continuing..."

Eric sat more upright from the relaxed slouch that began to place, then would nod again, signifying that he understood and that Dorian could continue.

"The band was a success", the man explained. "There was a car crash, there was a bunch of stuff, but they were overcoming all of it. So, fast forward some years... there was a fight. Trystan was married. He was happy. A secretary came to their lives, and started to hit on his husband. And he told the man. And the man believed it to be jealousy. They had this awful, horrid fight. The man got himself a divorce... and Trystan was /so/ hurt he had to go to a mental institution. His depression became a catatonic state. And it was so severe that he died." He looked at Eric. He just looked at him.

Eric must have frowned about a billion times already, normally his expressions were passive, but not in hearing this. Eric wondered *so that is it?* That's all? "That can't be all." Eric was partially in denial, the other half of himself bewildered. "He died? Theryka. Did he die inside or had he actually died?" There came a pause in thought. Then, Eric shook his head. "Was he resurrected?"

"He died." He said, serious. "We went to the funeral. He died, and Ivan and his cunt couldn't have been bothered to care any less." He'd wait for the reaction, before he sighed. "want to hear the rest...?"

Eric was stunned to say the least, he couldn't find a decent reply for that without seeming judgmental. All he had ever known in the world were vampires, witches, ghosts and werewolves. To hear it put so simply as: He died. Well, it did boggle his mind a bit, and Eric gravitated towards a nod in acknowledgment. Irregardless, he believed Dorian. "Yes. Go ahead. As you were saying?" He politely let the other continue again.

Dorian smirked. "At school, Trystan met the surgeon. Remember that part?" He'd start. "At school... Theryka met the surgeon. Remember that part?"

Eric laughed at Dorians odd little repetition, "Yes, I remember. My mind may slip away from me sometimes, I'm sorry about the blank stare but I remember." He chuckled again.  
Dorian nodded. "Good", he smirked. "Trystan met the surgeon. But there was no band. He made it alone. He became a solo artist and the name, Theryka, is actually a cute variation of Trystan. He chose this name just so the press would leave his family alone; the family already has so much on their plate. And he joined the military. The Military school doesn't force you to join after you conclude the classes, but he was so in love with flying that he stayed, from 18 to 20 he stayed, then he begun to fly as a contractor /for/ the military. Got married to the surgeon, the girl came to be, the rest ...you know the rest. The couple lives happily ever after until Trystan - Theryka - manages to reach them, and he /will/." He looked at the man. Who was probably very confused now.

Eric didn't hold any signs of confusion, but his expression now was of one that had finally come to settle with the odds. And, things began to make a lot more sense to him. But it was not as if he had not already known that a part of himself always drew out a conclusion that Theryka-Trystan-whoever had just wanted acceptance. But had it been really stardom all along? Eric took a breath, his lips were pursed before relishing the idea and then his features became flaccid. "...What am I to forgive him for?" He finally asked. Dorian did say he would have to forgive a lot.

"Us." He said. "You know the bad story and the not so bad story. This story can have many ways to go. We may have ...manipulated some minds... to save our friend. To save a talent. To make a rock star. Trystan, the first Trystan, /really/ died. The one you fell in love... is his brother." He looked down and sighed. "Now, time to forgive.. a lot of people."  
"Oh God.." Eric immediately looked away, holding his jaw in place as he wide eyed would stare ahead. That had been a punch in the gut. Every time his mind lured him to speak, Eric refrained. There were just some things that were hard to swallow, and he was far from expecting that with as much as an open heart he had for the conversation. In fact, strangely, the hurt had hit him harder now than what it had and if he were human- the pressure would have pushed and pushed into his stomach until building.  
"Traditional families are not perfect. The older they get, the more skeletons in the closet you can find" Dorian said. "The original Trystan that died, had four siblings. Two older ones, and one younger one. The younger one... had severe mental issues for being born from a hard pregnancy..." He looked at the man. But the mental issues weren't /really/ bad per se and on itself. They were bad enough when all you expect from your children is perfection. And the younger brother, was a big fan of Trystan. And Trystan was the only one who gave this poor boy the time of the day. The other siblings were just told he died."

Eric had stopped breathing all together. Not only had he fallen in love with the boys dead brother but he had fallen in love with the one that was alive, or, now he felt he had lost two people all at once. He held back the lump in his throat, and shook away all thought of breaking down. Blowing out a breath, he lowered his hand and placed both of them at a clap onto his lap and nodded. Again, and again until he grew calm. After, he turned to look at Dorian.

"Um." He let out a saddened chuckle, lowering his head to break eye contact for a split second. Then, he raised his focus back to him. "I forgive all of you. And I forgive him. That does not change how I feel. I still love him, none of the lies matter to me. He's my cherub, and I promised to help him fly. I will stand by my promise. Always."  
Dorian rose an eyebrow. "Well since I didn't finish... what is your own conclusion?"

"Conclusion?" He was sure he just answered that, but he turned away. "Please finish." Eric put himself aside on this one, "I thought you were through."

"Not in the slightest" Dorian said. "when Trystan died, no one knew his story better. The likeness is not fully there.. if you look at photos... they are somewhat different... but there is enough likeness to pass, you see? We simply went after the ...rejected brother... and we brought him back to life. He never replaced Trystan Andrea Claremont... he is a continuation of him. The problem is that his mind absorbed the pains of his older brother, and he truly believes he loves Ivan and hates Kalina. He never even met them. But his memories are vivid. It's a side effect of the hypnosis."

Eric nodded, back to being passive he went. Taking in the words and soaking them up like a sponge, determined to understand everything better, this is why he had not yet spoke. As he was running through the information, he would let Dorian speak over these thoughts instead.

Dorian then concluded, "The man you love... he exists. he just, he is the mix between a complicated past, some greedy musicians trying to save a talented life of gorgeous music, and make justice for a boy whose life was declined, deprived, even sabotaged, by his own family. Which thankfully we managed to change as well. He CAN love you Eric. But for him to love you, you need to be a balanced adult, be your own man. Don't do things only for him. Know what you want and do them for YOU. A couple's lives cannot be defined by servitude, but by partnership. Otherwise it's not partnership. It's Sub-and-Dom."

Eric scoffed and stood up from beside Dorian, perturbed. Insulted even. "I do not like how you are speaking to me, as though I am not already a balanced adult and do not know what it is that I want and what I do for myself." He informed him, facing one of the windows. He continued to hold his chin, pulling on it in the midst of frustration. "I know what I want," he went on. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here, concerned and worried about some *boy* who might have got killed!" He made gesture to the door, not at all happy. Then, "There are times I tell him what I want, tell him what I need.. inform him of things, but when I *demand* I do it respectfully, not rudely. Same with him. I do not see this as a submission nor a Dominant thing. Not even when he and I had sex, it was a give and take. Please-" 

Dorian let the man vent the most that he wanted. 

Eric raised his hand, trying to dismiss a probable idea. "Whether Theryka loves me now or years from now, perhaps I should not care. If he tells me to move on, I will. Not an issue. But I will give, and I will take when I want to take... he and I have already spoken about this before. Do not lecture me, I do not like being lectured about how to behave. It is not your place to tell me how to behave, if Theryka has an issue with how I am, he will tell me himself. As he has already done, so I would appreciate it if you do not treat me like I am a child as I do not treat him as such." Well, anymore. He already learned his place, he wouldn't tell a child that he wanted to fuck them anyway.

"Wait, let me see if I understand. You're mad at me for speaking the words you wanted me to, in a way you didn't want me to? Catch 22, anyone? I asked you if you wanted me to tell you how to make him love you. what did you expect? Manual instructions on how to fill balloons since you can't breathe? No, sorry. if you don't like the answer, that's your prerogative. But don't be angry at -me- for giving you what you wanted, in a way you didn't want. Life is a bitch. Next time you want me to speak only what pleases you, hand me a script, maybe. And pay me, I don't act for free.

Eric snarled but for the better part, said nothing. "You are not telling me how to make him love me, on second thought, I can't *make* him love me if he does not feel that he does. This is ridiculous... you find me angry? You do not know me well enough. I am insulted," he paused. "But you, Dorian, are acting judgmental. You are telling me how to behave, how I should be not what would generally make him love another- me or anyone else. He either loves me as I am, or he does not. And if I have to walk out of his life... so be it. I do not want manual instructions... and I am not going to write you a damned script to read off of for me. I was expecting for you to tell me what would it take without labels.. like to be my own man, as if I do not know of how to already."

Dorian just shrugged. "I think he already loves you. I don't think he realizes it yet. But he will, if he comes back he will, I am sure." The man said very calmly. "which is not to say I am judging you. I don't even /know/ you. I only tell you this because I know what he likes on men. which is far more than I can tell about myself: every time I fell for someone, the guy was a total jerk."

Eric then nodded curtly and glanced to the ceiling, for the longest minute he went quiet. These last 26 hours have been hell. "There are no good individuals left, it's very rare to come by these days. I agree." Then, he left it at that. Eric hated arguing, he didn't get a rush from it anymore like he used to as a human being; fighting and carrying on. In fact, he was more composed now than he ever was. Dorian however, was not arguing, not in tone, anyway. He was so used to rude patients that poor Eric and his snap and his worries just elicited an even calmer behaviour from him. Not to say he didn't have a sharp tongue. 

"Is there no way that you could help me find him?"

"I have been trying" Dorian said. "He is my friend, too. My band mate. I am worried, and I know Erik by now have called the interpol or something. But knowing him, I know it's not something as simple as he got upset and went to take a walk because he left just about everything-----"  
Then, "I felt it was unlike him as well. It was unlike him not to text me..." he vaguely corrected himself, his final words running over a random sound, "...after hearing from a friend.." It was no use explaining, he was not really up for it.

Dorian knew the noise well. He rose from the couch and walked to the area that was the office and took a look at the laptop screen... finally saying, "Eric... I think we have him." He'd call the man, and type something at the laptop. Another noise of the same, and he typed more, and another noise. "I found him, I know where he is." He looked at the man, slightly pale.

Eric glanced back to him, after staring hard at the screen. "I believe I know who that is."

Dorian bit his lip, and pointed, "It's from the band's website chat line... No one would now his password so I know it's him... do you want to talk to him, come here, you're the first person he asked about anyway." He rose, giving the man the seat. Eric raised his brows as if needing more the reassurance, but stepped in anyway to take the seat after being given, with a nod of his head

"Now that I know he is safe, I am going to rest. Leave me a message of you find out further, please. Let me know if you need anything." He'd walk towards the bedroom. 

"Thank you, Dorian. I will." Skimming over the the chat log, his fingers curled over the keyboard. 

Trish: Dorian, it's me. I'm safe, don't worry about me. Let Erik and the others know please.

Dorian: How do I know it's really you? Tell me something only we would know.

Trish: I'm hemophiliac AND diabetic. 

Dorian: where the fuck are you? 

Trish: Safe. I can't say much more. Is Erik all right? 

Dorian: Yes. I'll let you talk to him. Call me when you can. 

Trish: Okay. Love you.

What should Eric say? It was one of those things, it felt like years passed by or something along those lines. Of course, his name would should up as Dorian since Eric was not a registered member of the site.

He began to type:

Dorian: It's Eric. 

Trish's username stared back at him, and he became conflicted on who to refer him as or to; hitting send without reluctance.

Trish: You okay?

Dorian: I should be the one asking you. What's going on? Everyone's worried about you.

Trish: You really want to know? You have whatsapp?

Dorian: I would not ask if I didn't want to know. Yah I have whatsapp.

Actually, he didn't. But as they spoke, he was currently in the way of making progress in getting it, speeding through the sign-up process and skipping a profile image or anything mediocre.

Dorian: What is it so I can add you?

Trish: [gave a number that was complicated with a country code of 358.]

Dorian: [Collects the data and inputs it into whatsapp, sending the add: code of 313. Under the name of Eric ]

Theryka turned off the computer chat. Then he'd just page the whatsapp. He'd ping immediately after he got that offline message from the site. 

Theryka: Erik? (he did type with a K)

Eric went straight to answering:

Eric: Yes, it's me. 

He didn't think about any specific meaning behind the "K".  
The next that came was a voice clip, which was why he asked for whatsapp. Much practical. 

"I cannot talk too loud" he whispered. It was a whisper indeed, vampiric ears needed to listen. The ambient behind him had an eerie silence, like one would expect from a tomb. Eric didn't need to lean into the phone to hear that. Picking up the tomb effect right away. 

"I left my phone on my bedroom and went to feed the horses like I do every day." No one has to glue on the phone 24/7 so he thought it'd be okay to leave it unattended for a couple hours, "came back, took a bath, watched tiktok." Yep... normal kid, sometimes. "Then he came over...." The whisper, all the more eerie. "I thought he just wanted to feed."  
Eric sent back a voice clip of his own making sure that his own volume of tone matched the others:

"You are being held captive by a /vampire/?"

He totally asked as if he forgot he was even one. He believed Theryka was still human.

"Oh, no, no!", he rushed to answer, "I am not being held captive. I am being treated. I am well, I am being cared for. I didn't think it was going to be so hard. The pains. They're so bad." Yes, the way he explained... it could be his illness still. "It's complicated." he said.  
Did think he was referring to the pains but he also just remembered something else as well:

"Hours ago, before I went looking everywhere for you... I heard a small, disembodied voice. Then, very faint violins. It felt like a warning... I ignored it. Thinking it may have been my Maker trying to fuck with my head. Look, wherever you are... I need to know what happened. Clear my conscience."

There was concern in his voice he tried not to show.

'I'm in Finland", the voice whispered, "The violins were mine. Eric... I am dead". 

Couldn't be more eerie than this. Right?

This was a fast one to catch, Eric's head shook:

"No. You're alive, and I am going to find you. There is no way that you can die twice and still be dead but talking to me through whatsapp. I don't like the idea of my boyfriend being a living blood bag."

He sent that one off, worried and humorous, and then shouted, "Dorian!"

"Eric.. Eric..." Theryka sighed, attempting to explain, but as the man shouted for Dorian, he waited. Sighed, out of habit, but waited until he came back to the line.  
Dorian was half way asleep when the door opened and he showed up rubbing his eyes and looking like Zombie Apocalypse part 15: The Return of Those Who Never Left.'

"I am here... whassup?"

Visibly winced at the eyes when he saw how ghoulish Dorian looked standing there at the door. Eric, still trying to make the situation as lighthearted as he could, had handed Dorian the phone. "It's ya boy, he is trying to convince me that he is dead... or that he died." Eric continued with an outstretched arm, rounding with a slouch back inside of the office chair. "Listen to the message before the last one. You know which one, not mine." He clarified. Eric didn't return the message Theryka had sent, he wanted some sort of explanation from Dorian first. What did he think?

Dorian took the message and listening. The eyebrow went up and he ended up just being nosy and hearing the whole thing. Then he lost it. He took the phone, heard him call for Eric last and asked it himself, "Are you being kept at a fucking cript? They want ransom for you or something??? 

The reply came with a chuckle. "Tell this man not to worry. I am no longer a blood bag. Now I need one. I was embraced, finally. But it's not as simple as one may think." Eric could not hold back an iconic snort when overhearing the bit about it not being *simple*. "...It's really not." Eric could not have related more about that, still, he was keeping from being blown right out of the chair. Disbelief. Eric did not know, but to hear Theryka chuckle was one step warmer to the realization that all was well and could be worse.

"It's not like in the movies." Theryka went on, "It's being an awful experience and I /hate/ the taste of blood. /Hate/." 

Dorian sighed, he didn't know if he was relieved or worried. "Well", he said in the message, "You need to get the habit, I can try and make pills in gel for you to swallow."  
He handed the phone back to Erik saying, "you heard. He was embraced and is having hardship with it." He started to go back to bed, yawning so much he could eat a plate. And Dorian was passing this up nonchalantly, shouldn't Eric be also? 

He took the phone back from Dorian and let the man go back to sleep. Sighing, Eric sent off another voice clip:

"I am proud of you for at least *trying* to reach out for me. When are you coming home?"

"Oh I am not", came the answer. "I am not coming home right now. I am a danger to myself and others, I can't leave yet." The Sire care many didn't have. Ryder, poor thing, abandoned. Him? His Sire took the time off to properly educate him away from any friend he could accidentally hurt!

"Well at least your Sire isn't a prick!" His voice hushed and almost became that of a muted whisper, "I am still a little surprised. I already miss you terribly. I thought you were dead." He could not say that anymore, "you know what I mean. But you are safe... so I guess I'll just be kissing you with a mouth full of fangs by the time you get back." It was worth the wait.

almost laughed on the other side. But then the next text came, "You can wait a bit for me... or come visit. There is a forest... and a cabin", he said. "I can go anywhere in the property." His tongue slid over his teeth. "Hurts everywhere... It was awful... the first hours."

"I'm sure it was, baby. I wish I could have been there..." his voice was gruff, expressing care in the laid back of ways. "But I guess I could come visit you, I would like to see that cabin. When is the next opening?" Eric teased the 'Realtor'.

"I can send you tickets. Do you fly in coffin? It's a 12 hour flight", he said. Then he started to prepare the reservations on the site. He just needed to know if its people or cargo at this point. Eric gave that thought before he recalled the ring on his finger, instinctively rubbing it with his thumb. "I have a few days left on my ring that you gave me, so I can take the normal seating." He then went on in thought, thinking more or less to himself, "12 hour flight. So I should get there at about uh... yah. About 8PM if I can pick up the tickets here in a few unless you plan on sending them to me later, then might be later. I should be there tomorrow night."

It'd be about three minutes before the next message popped up. "You're set. Your ring should last at least a month, I gave you 3 days ago. You can enjoy a first class flight to Helsinki on me. I hope your Finnish is up to date..."

Eric smiled, feeling reassured by well now, especially since he would get to see him. Maybe even his Sire, who knew. "Thank you, darling. I can learn a new language in 30 minutes." Perhaps a little bit of an exaggeration, he was a fast learner however. His smirk heard, "I will get it done. The sun is creeping up... you get some rest, yah?"  
He was glad someone was looking out for Theryka when he didn't have that chance for himself nor Ryder. There was trust there, and he didn't feel as though he would have done a better job of it himself. This was good. He was happy for him.

"I /just/ rest and feed apparently. And I hate it." He chuckled. Eric laughed, relating immensely. But then a next message came over. "Still love me?"

Eric froze at the last message, clarity. 

/Ask me again if I still love you in 90 years/.

"I do still love you."

Good for Erik they were not blood bonded. He'd have pouted at that thought - but he remembered that answer. he'd remember, it was not an answer given, but one of their first arguments because of his revenge to Ivan - which was the LAST thing in his mind right now... "I hope you'll still love me tomorrow. Have a nice trip...." he said gently on the phone.

Even if it wasn't an response Eric was expecting, it still made him smile and instead of responding... Eric sat there, leaning into his hand. For once, he didn't didn't think and turned off the phone screen, stood from the office chair... turned off the light and went back to his home to rest. He was going to need it for tomorrow.  
If Erik had kept the phone on just a little more. He'd have seen the answer he was probably hoping for, but not in words. It was one of those cutest ever emoji full of smiles and hearts all around the head. Eric would be seeing that the instant he woke up to head off for the plane. It would make his day next to informing Theryka that he was on his way.


End file.
